Lakeland lights lamp twice in a minute to spark team to victory by Jim McConville special to The Record
WAYNE – Coming off a pair of hard fought but tough losses to Glen Rock, Lakeland came into the Pepsi Holiday Classic at the Ice Vault looking to gain some momentum heading into the new year.
A better-than-expected Park Regional provided the opposition, and the Lancers once again found themselves in a battle. This time, however, they found a way to win it.
Two goals a minute apart in the second period shifted the game their way and they were able to take a 5-2 victory and improve to 5-3-1 on the season. Park Regional fell to 6-2.
“When you realize just how young this team is experience-wise, to have played the way we have so far, I’m very pleased,” Lakeland coach Nick Crouch said. “We got off a little sluggish tonight coming of the loss to Glen Rock last night, but what I learned is that this is a team that battles.”
Joey Wogisch got the game’s first goal at 11:03 of the opening period, taking a feed from Matt Coiley and coming in on the right side. He started to lose an edge but had enough to slide the puck just inside the right post for the score.
Park got even before the first period ended, as Angelo DiPinto scored through traffic from just off the crease at 14:02. They quickly took the lead just 17 seconds into the second period when Ryan Kearney shot from the top of the right circle with Lance goalie Luke Joyce screened.
Bobby Wogisch got Lakeland back on track with a tying goal at 1:52 before Drew Lorenz dug the puck off of the right boards and made a run to the net, slapping on inside the near post at 2:52.
“It was a nice play by our defenseman to keep the puck in play, and I was able to dig it and get a step,” Lorenz said. “I was looking low blocker but I got it up a bit and it still went in.”
“We still make those inexperience and immaturity mistakes,” Crouch said, “but to come back like we did against that team, that was a real sign that this team is improving. They’re playing beyond their years right now and I couldn’t be happier heading into the holidays.”
The Lancers played cautiously in the third period before they got an insurance goal at 9:21. Greg Martin was able to convert a rebound through traffic from just off he left post to make it 4-2. Lorenz scored on a breakaway off a Bobby Wogisch lead pass at 12:13 to allow Lakeland to exhale.
“To go toe-to-toe with Glen Rock, to beat Mahwah earlier and to come back like we did tonight, I’m learning that we’ve got a pretty good team,” Crouch said. “We’re not dependent on one line to score and we’re only going to get better.”
BRICK MEMORIAL 4, KINNELON 1 – A fast start didn’t gather momentum for the Colts, who dropped to 1-6 with the loss. It took all of 3:21 for Kinnelon to get the lead. Jared Fatzer picked up a puck at the left blue line and skated to the circle. His shot caromed off the post but did not cross the goal line until Craig Smith nudged it in.
The Colts had a pair of chances to add to the lead but a breakaway and a 1 on 1 were stopped. The Mustangs then got the equalizer from Chafe at 3:07 of the second period.
Brick made it 2-1 at 12:52 of the second period on a nice 2 on 1. Davis came down the left side and fed Chafe just off the right post for his second of the game. Chafe then set up Thomas Swartwout for the insurance goal at 7:40 of the third period before completing a hat trick with an empty-netter.
Andrew Slobiski made a number of solid saves for the Mustangs (2-6-1) among his 28 in the game, including two breakaways.